In order to join in with WRPC activities you must be at least 16 and become a Probationary Member.

Probationary Membership lasts for 6 months. During this time you must attend THREE official club trips underground (there is at least one per month, normally on a Sunday), be able to tie a bowline knot, and have satisfied the Executive Committee that you are both safe underground and compatible with other members. When you have completed these requirements your name is put before the Committee again, and if accepted you become a Full Member.

Members of the club go caving most weekends, and the club can obtain permits for any caves you specially want to visit. We have a wealth of underground expertise, and many of our members are also in Cave Rescue.

Special trips are arranged for beginners, and we provide all necessary equipment.

Full Membership entitles you to:

Free loan of all club equipment

Discounts at some caving shops

BCRA insurance cover underground

Access to the books and surveys in the voluminous club library

The right to wear club badges and insignia

The right to attend club trips abroad

Access to specialist training in such things a Single Rope Technique (SRT), Sump Diving, Underground Photography, Digging & exploration, plus many more

Free Club Newsletter

There is a club dinner held after the AGM, plus ceilidhs, barn dances and parties. There are also family outings and camping, all this organised by our Social Secretary. If your application is successful we will mail you a list of members so you can contact anyone in the club easily.

Full Membership Joining Fee £2.50 (once only payment on upgrading from Probationary to Full Membership)

Social Member Join the club and attend social events, receive newsletters etc, but no caving!

Joint Membership = one Full Member and Social Membership for their partner/wife/husband - same benefits as above.

** Temporary Membership is valid for 17 consecutive days only. This membership category cannot be renewed within one calendar year. We would encourage anyone who enjoyed the Temporary Membership to upgrade to Full or Probationary Membership.

We would be glad for you and your friends to come along straight away. We will provide all necessary tackle, and at least at first will loan you personal gear like lamps, sit-harnesses etc.

If you wish to join please fill out an application form (see above) and either email it to us, or email us for a postal address to send it to.

This tale is set in the old industrial heartlands of Manchester known as the Castlefield Basin, where the Bridgewater Canal
finally reaches its destination with all its history and memories. The area is
also known for the first police station and railway station in Britain, not
forgetting the Roman fortress and the tallest skyscraper in Europe.
Unrecognisable now, this up-and-coming setting has brought back many native
inhabitants: blue tit, heron, swan, coal tit, kingfisher, migrating Canada geese,
robin, greenfinch plus the new Manchester Young Men’s Christian Association and
International Youth Hostel.

I was employed by the YMCA for two decades – main duty
outdoor pursuits, which was a sub-contract allowing myself to make good
contacts; one of which was consultant neurologist Peter Moore and his wife
Julie – highly skilled potholers.

It all started on a grey Tuesday morning when I received a
message from Peter at work about the Bridgewater Canal storm overflow – this is
an engineering feat allowing water to be decanted from a canal to stop
overflow; in this case, from the Bridgewater to the Irwell.

The storm overflow is quite impressive proportions, some 8 m
to the surface of the water with a diameter of 7 m. The boiling cauldron of
filth and debris has a strong current also.

The story unfolds when an exchange group from Australia,
staying at the YMCA, on a guided tour of local sites of interest, one of which
being the storm overflow, on peering down the gloomy pit they noticed a family
of migrating Canada geese, goose, gander and five goslings.

The next day some of the students returned to the scene, the
gander had gone and the gosling was missing. This was repeated for several
days, the family diminishing inside only; the goose and a single gosling left –
all the students distraught. What a welcome to England, all the way from the
southern hemisphere to watch this horror story unfold.

The gander was spotted on the canal nearby keeping a lonely
vigil on what was left of his family. I had just returned to work after a short
break when I received a phone call from Peter telling of the tale. The RSPCA
had been informed and said it was too dangerous a situation to help; the fire
brigade had also been informed, but after assessing the overflow, came up with
the same answer – not wanting to risk his men for the sake of two birds. The
students were horrified at their attitude, so Peter, Julie and myself sprang
into action equipped with a 10 m electron ladder, an inflatable dinghy, three
lengths of 10.5 mm static rope; all in wetsuit, mine being 8mm steamer, adding
more protection as I was the one swimming. Peter was to man the dinghy and
Julie to lifeline Peter with an electron ladder.

On kitting up at the overflow we attracted a small audience
along with the usual press. Peter and I fed the ladder centrally down the pit
using a steel RSJ which is part of the safety structure to prevent bodies
falling in the wire cage. Julie lifelined me down. On my descent I thought of
Mark Addy, famous for his daring rescues only 500 m away in the river Irwell.
Alas, all that is left now is a pub and bridge to his tribute. I was also
attached by two lengths of rope so as not to be sucked down once in the water.
I unattached the lifeline. Now suspended like a marionette with nobody to pull
my strings, I was instantly dashed against the side of the pit by the strong
current, just like the centrifugal force of the rotor at a fairground, except
in water.

Julie lifelined Peter down with the dinghy attached to his
harness. Keeping line on, he quickly set up. A comedy of errors followed.

Both savagely abused by the maelstrom of swirling debris,
unable to coordinate our tactics, minutes past; the goslings, now very weak,
became trapped in iron fencing. I seized the opportunity for capture. Gosling
in both hands, I finned to Peter with difficulty missing the dinghy twice in
going for an extra spin around the pit. Eventually making the connection with
Peter, he placed the gosling in a cave rucksack and ascended the ladder to
cheers from the crowd.

I lined up the dinghy attached and followed. Once out we
inspected the gosling – no apparent injuries, just weak and fatigued; the
gander waiting on the canal eager to be reunited, this achieved, they paddled
off.

I slept well that night and in the knowledge the rescue had
been a success. Before work the next day I decided to look over the previous
day’s events. To my dismay I saw the familiar shape of the female Canada goose,
now extremely weakened by the ordeal, too tired to launch out of the pit with
its narrow constrictions, I phoned Peter and within an hour and a half we were
kitting up to repeat the rescue, minus the audience and press. The rescue was
more fluent, the goose offering no resistance; we used a sling to winch her out.
Due to her size and weight, this is where the fairytale comes in. The gander
and gosling popped out of the canal and, honking like crazy, waggled down the
towpath to be reunited with the goose. All three then flopped into the Bridgewater Canal and paddled off. It was like a
Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, seeing them disappear into the sunset of
Lowryesque cityscape.

My apologies for the late letter of thanks for 'Hosting' me and for taking me
through both Diccan and Alum Pot.

The caves were [for me] definitely challenging, as they say 'anything that doesn't kill you makes you stronger', Diccan has the longest series of pitches
that i have ever had to pass, and dealing with the noise of the water, the cold
and the physicality of the cave was at times almost overwhelming and made for
some 'interesting moments', I apologise to you Dennis for re-rigging the 'Short
redirect' on the second last pitch before the sump, I was buggered and just
couldn't get it at the time, now i have had time to think about it I would have
done it differently, but at the time i just couldn't put it together.

The exit up Alum was spectacular! I took far more time than i should have
taking photos of the bridge, the Long Churn window, and the view and was very
upset when I found they were all out of focus except for a few 'not so bad
ones', the climb out was exhausting but very rewarding, in all this trip is now
my bench mark by which I will rate other caves. [time to visit 'Tassie' I
think!]

I would like to say 'thank you Ian' for rigging, It was impressive watching
you lead the way, you made it 'look' extremely easy! and for making 'almost'
every pitch easy for me to pass! also a big thank you to Dennis for your
patience and words of advice along the way, Faye and Leif: thank you both for
choosing and rigging such a beautifully challenging exit pitch, It will stick in
my mind for ages.

I didn't get on any caving trips the next day so my wife and I did the
touristy thing and visited Malham Cove, saw the nesting peregrines, then Gordale
Scar where I chatted with a couple of Aussies from south of Sydney who were on a
climbing holiday around Europe.

On the Monday we did the Gaping Gill winch meet. My wife had never been in a
wild cave anywhere, and had never been on a winch 300ft above a cavern before
either, so i was surprised that she lapped it up and spent ages poking around
the cave. We didn't get to leave the main cavern but it has whetted my appetite
to return and have a proper look around!

So again my thanks for a great introduction to UK Caving, I hope that in the
future I might be able to do the same for any of you here in Oz, although the
caves here on the mainland might be very tame in comparison! what ever happens
you can contact me by email or through the club: http://bmsc.caves.org.au/ I
hope to make your acquaintance again in the future, Safe caving.

From 21st July until approximately the end of October, Geoff Whittaker (current
meets secretary for Aygill Caverns, Barbondale) will be temporarily handling
permit requests for Leck Fell on behalf of Jim Sloane.

The details for Leck Fell caves on the CNCC website will be updated when these
changes actually occur.

For all Leck Fell permit applications or enquiries about availability over the
next four months, please double-check your intended cave on the CNCC website
immediately before you apply to ensure the correct contact details are used.